Ailing dolphin, reported by surfers, eludes searchers

A search from Carlsbad south to Solana Beach early Wednesday failed to turn up an ailing dolphin that surfers first spotted Tuesday evening and which came close to shore before swimming away.

Lifeguards expect that the marine mammal, which is 10 to 12 feet long and weighs between 400 and 600 pounds, will strand itself, but it hasn't been found, said Encinitas Lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles.

SeaWorld officials have been contacted.

The dolphin was spotted around 7:45 p.m. off Ponto Beach. If people do see the dolphin, they should notify local lifeguards.

“We tried everything we could. The lifeguards basically shadowed the dolphin when it was almost on the beach,” Giles said. He said SeaWorld officials advised lifeguards not to pull the dolphin from the water unless it appeared it had a human-caused injury, but to wait for it to strand itself.

Giles said no one can tell if the dolphin is sick or was hurt.

He said San Diego and Del Mar officials have been notified that the dolphin was last seen swimming south and it could strand itself on beaches in those jurisdictions.